Access to a network is sometimes provided under circumstances in which use of certain regions of the network is to be regulated. For example, there may be an Internet access gateway in a public area such as an airport or cafe, and the access provider may initially limit a client's access to what can be called a walled garden. When various conditions are met (e.g., payment of a fee, agreement to legal usage terms, entering a user id and/or password for an existing account, etc.), the user can be given access to the broader Internet.
Another example of a situation in which access may be regulated is in a network for a business or other organization. A user who connects through an access gateway may be given access to different portions of the company's network depending on whether certain security criteria have been met, such as the user's demonstrating employee status, having certain security clearance, etc.
In existing networks, when access to the network is controlled, the conditions for access have typically included making payment, having an account, having employee status, agreement to legal terms, etc., as mentioned above.